Keyboard and music staff memorizer



July 15, 1941. F, MCCAFFREY 2,249,391

KEYBOARD AND MUSIC STAFF MEMORIZER Filed Jan. 23, 1940 Second Fme ,S ace Lme 21 C 1h Thz'm Secom; ACE

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Appiication January 23, 19M), Serial No. 315,236

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the class of music and pertains particularly to a novel and improved device for facilitating memorizing the piano keyboard and the music staff.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard and staff memorizer which is so designed that it may be disposed on the flange or ledge of the piano keyboard at the forward ends of the keys, in such manor that it will not interfere in any respect with the playing of the keys and will at the same time indicate to the player the musical key being played, thereby helping the player to memorize the notes represented by the various keys of the piano.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated in the form of an. elongated chart which is designed to be secured to the ledge of the piano keyboard at the forward ends of the keys and which, when properly initially positioned with respect to the keys, will not only indicate to the player the musical notes played by the depression of the keys but will also indicate the positions of such notes in the staff above and below middle C.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character above stated which will also assist the piano pupil in fixing in his mind the musical notes sounded by the playing of the black keys of the keyboard as well as those sounded by the playing of the white keys.

A still further object is to provide a piano keyboard and staff memorizer of the character stated which is provided upon its reverse with data relating to the study of music and the scales arranged in such manner as to make it convenient for the student to use, so that the student may be able to readily determine the number of sharps or flats of any key or the meaning of the various signs and markings used in the writing of music.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents in plan a portion of a piano keyboard showing in association therewith the middle portion of the memorizcr device constituting the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the fingers of the device hold the same in position adjacent the keyboard.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the complete device in partially folded condition.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the staff and keyboard memorizer embodying the resent invention will be seen to consist of an elongated strip of material which is designated as a whole by the numeral 5, this strip of material being of a length equal to the key group of a piano keyboard and of a width to facilitate its being disposed upon the ledge portion 2 of the piano case, which extends across the front ends of the white keys 3 of the piano. In Fig. 1, there are shown in association with a portion of the white key group of the piano keyboard, those black keys, indicated by the numeral which are related to the white keys shown.

While the strip 1 may be made in a single piece, it is preferably divided into a number of sections 5 which are joined together by suitable transverse hinges 8 whereby the sections may be readily folded up one upon the other, making it convenient for handling the device.

Extending along one longitudinal edge of the strip, which may be referred to as the inner edge, is a series of finger members I which are of a suitable metal or other material which permits them to be bent into an angular relation to the strip, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby they may be inserted into the narrow recess 8 which is between the ends of the white keys of the piano and the ledge portion 2 whereby the strip itself will be disposed upon the ledge, as shown in Fig. 2.

On one face of the strip 1 adjacent to and extending along the inner edge thereof, there are formed a series of short lines which extend in a direction transversely of the strip and which are divided into groups of heavy black lines indicated by the numeral 8 and thinner black lines indicated by the numeral l0 and the spaces between these lines 9 and l b are substantially equal to the widths of the white keys. In the spaces between the lines 9 and It are placed letters representing the notes of the music staff, starting with middle 0, as indicated at II. This letter C representing the note middle C in the staff is placed on the strip so that when the strip is located on the ledge 2, it will be disposed at the outer end of the piano key which plays middle 0. From middle C upwardly into the treble and downwardly into the bass, the strip has the letters representing all notes which fall upon a line the staff, in heavy black outline or some other suitable color, while the other or alternate notes are represented by letters in light type or of lower case itallic character. Beneath the middle C II the strip has printed thereon Middle C and the first letter upon the bass side of middle C, indicated by the numeral l2, has printed below it First space below middle C while the first letter to the right of middle C or to the treble side of the keyboard, here indicated by the numeral l3, has printed below it First line above middle 0. Each of the other letters representing the notes of the scale has printed below it the line or space where it is located in the staff.

The dividing lines 9 and 19 between the note letters are flanked to the right and left by the characters employed for indicating flat and sharp, respectively, so that the student will know, when playin a particular note, that that note, when flanked by heavy black lines, representing the black keys, can be flattened or sharpened by playing such black keys, or when flanked on side only by a heavy line representing a black key, that the playing of such black key will give the semi-tone indicated by the character adjacent thereto and within the area between the lines in Which the key character or letter is located. Those key letters which are flanked on one side only by a heavy black line will be flanked on the other side by a light line, thus indicating to the student that in playing either of the two keys between which the light line lies, he would not have a black key to play in order to sharpen one or flatten the other as for example, in playing the note E, the sharp symbol to the right would indicate to the student that in order to sharpen this note, the next white key would be played, which would give him an F-natural or in playing the F, the light line would indicate to the student that in order to flatten this note, the next white key to the left would be played, thus giving the E-natural. Thus it will be seen that the student while playing the keys and at the same time taking in with the eye the characters upon the strip i, will learn names of the notes played by the keys upon which his fingers rest, whether such notes are above or below middle C, whether such notes fall upon a line or in a space of the staff and also the arrangement of the black keys adjacent to such notes by which the tones of the notes are raised or lowered.

Upon the rear side of the strip i, various groups or" data may be placed to which the student may refer in the course of study as, for example, there may be printed scales to show to the student the number of sharps in the various scales and the number of flats in addition to the natural scale C. Certain of such groups of scales are shown in Fig. 3 and indicated by the numeral Other data or information may also be printed upon the strip such as the various signs and markings used in and other information necessary to the teaching of music.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the device herein disclosed provides a simple and convenient means of teaching a piano pupil keys of the keyboard and at the same time helping the pupil to memorize the locations of the various notes played by the keys in the music staff.

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard and stall memorizer for use pen a piano keyboard having a ledge extending lengthwise thereof at the ends of the white keys, comprising an elongated strip of material of a width to positon flat on said ledge and having a length substantially corresponding to the length of the ledge, the strip when in use being laid flat on and lengthwise of the ledge, means for maintaining the strip on the ledge, comprising bendable lingers extending from that edge of the strip which is adjacent to the ends of the keys when the strip is in use, the fingers extending at an angle from the strip between the ends of the keys and the edge, said strip being provided with longitudinally extending transversely directed lines spaced apart a distance substantially equaling the widths of the white keys of the keyboard, the spaces between said lines having letters therein designating the notes of the staff above and below middle C, the strip when disposed upon said ledge having the note representing middle 0 adjacent the key middle C on the keyboard with the treble and bass keys each identified by note letter in the space adjacent the end of the key, the said lines being divided into two groups, the lines of one group being heavier than the lines of the other group and being arranged to be alined with the black keys of the keyboard and the lines of the other group alining with the spaces between those pairs of adjacent white keys falling between the groups of black keys.

2. lhe combination with a piano keyboard having a ledge at the outer ends of the white keys, of a keyboard and staff memorizer comprising an elongated strip of material having a length corresponding to the length of the ledge, upon which ledge the strip is disposed, means for maintaining the strip in position on said ledge, comprising bendable finger members secured to the strip to extend from one edge thereof and extending at an angle to the strip and engaging between said ledge and the ends of the adjacent keys, said strip being divided in a transverse direction into a plurality of spaces, each corresponding with a white key, by heavy and light lines, the said heavy lines alining with the black keys of the keyboard and the light lines alining with the spaces between the pairs of white keys falling between the groups of black keys, each of said spaces having a letter therein representing the note played by the adjacent white key, alternate ones of said letters starting with the one representing middle C being in heavy type to designate the notes falling upon lines in the staif, the other letters being in lighter type to designate the notes falling in spaces on the staff.

FRANK MCCAFFREY. 

